Between social media, podcasts, books, and newspaper articles that your aunt cuts out and sends you in the mail, there are endless places you can read about mental health and therapy. While the wealth of information can be empowering, it can also be overwhelming to sort through. Especially if you struggle with executive functioning or anxiety, which may be why you’re looking for resources to begin with, am I right?
In my previous blogs, How to Find a Therapist and Four Types of Therapy Practices, I explored what qualities to look for in a therapist and where to find therapy services. In this blog, we will dive into various therapeutic approaches. Most therapists, including myself, blend a mix of these approaches, jumping between styles based on what best serves our clients.
As you look through these different approaches, pay attention to any that spark your interest or resonate with you. Think of this as a living document – I’ll be updating it regularly. And if there is one you know of that’s not on the list, reach out to me, and I’ll gladly add it!
• Person-Centered/Rogerian: A person-centered approach means the client is the expert on themselves. The therapist’s job is to help the client find their authentic self. The closer we are to our authentic self, the happier and more at peace we will be. Doesn’t that sound magical? Man, I love therapy. As you can imagine, this process takes time. I would bet about 90% of therapists incorporate a person-centered approach into their practice. Person-Centered therapy was started by Carl Rogers, hence “Rogerian”. It’s not just for guys named Roger.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Our thoughts (cognitions) inform our feelings, our feelings inform our behavior. So, if we can change how we think, we can change how we feel, and change how we behave. Sounds simple enough, right? CBT teaches us how to identify and examine the core beliefs we have about ourselves, other people, and the world.
For example, if you believe the world is trash (belief about the world), most people are ass holes (belief about other), or you’re not good enough (belief about yourself), CBT will explore how those beliefs came to be and how you can change them. It will also help you explore common cognitive distortions (thought problems) and how they negatively impact your experiences on this planet.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): There are many types of mindfulness-based therapies, but I’m most familiar with ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). This type of therapy teaches us to be more present. Mental health disorders often bring us away from the here and now. For example, depression brings regrets from the past while anxiety brings fear of the future. ACT teaches us to focus on the here and now, and to experience our thoughts and feelings without judgement. An ACT therapist might tell you to put down my phone in the grocery store checkout line, and instead focus on your breath or surroundings. An ACT based therapist might also help you practice accepting difficult emotions like sadness, anger, jealousy, or fear rather than trying to change them. And they would definitely recommend meditation.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT was originally created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, and is now proven to be helpful in treating many mental health concerns. DBT combines CBT and Mindfulness practices; helping people identify what problems they can solve, what things they can change, and what we must accept. Traditional DBT is a very structured program, involving individual therapy, group therapy, trauma work, and more; but many therapists are “DBT informed”, meaning they use DBT skills and principles in their practice, but do not follow the specific DBT structure.
NOTE: If you have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and/or have been recommended to complete DBT, it is crucial that you find a traditional DBT program, rather than a DBT informed program or therapist. DBT is a genuine life saver for many people struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder and Complex PTSD, and it is important that your treatment team follow the specific DBT evidenced based practices. DBT programs are typically found at group practices and community mental health organizations, and there are also some organizations that exist to solely provide DBT to clients and their families.
• Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a trauma specific therapy that uses lights, tapping, or vibrating spheres to activate parts of your brain responsible for holding traumatic memories in order to assist in reprocessing trauma. EMDR is like a Harry Potter spell that slowly shrinks monsters into beanie babies. If you have a history of significant trauma, I recommend finding a therapist that has trauma specific training, and EMDR is one of the best trauma therapies in the biz.
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): Prolonged exposure is another trauma specific therapy that repeatedly exposes the client to places, things, and/or memories associated with trauma. Sounds like hell, right? It sort of is. But hell in the same way a hot sauna is like hell. It can be unbearable, but you can walk out at any time. When we avoid stimuli (fancy science word for places, things, and memories) associated with our trauma, your brain confirms those stimuli are dangerous, which in turn only grows our fears over time. In Prolonged Exposure therapy, a therapist will assist in exposing a client to their trauma in a safe way.
• Motivational Interviewing (MI): Motivational Interviewing is a style of therapy that was created to help support people struggling to make beneficial life changes. Motivational Interviewing is a non-judgmental therapy that helps the client identify their own reasons and motivations for change. Many addiction therapists are training in Motivational Interviewing, and it can also be used if you’re struggling to change jobs, improve your health, or leave an unhealthy relationship. Motivational Interviewing is all about helping clients make the changes they need and/or want to make to improve their life.
• Solution Focused Therapy: Solution Focused therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the client’s strengths and finding solutions, rather than focusing on problems. In solution focused therapy, your therapist will help you identify what strengths you have, what is working for you, and how to build off that. They might ask you questions like, “when was a time you felt happy?” or “if you woke up and everything in your life was perfect, what would that look like”? Solution Focused therapy is a great option if you’re in need of tips and trick to improve your current situation, but may not be interested in longer term therapy.
• Gottman Couples Counseling: Gottman Couples Counseling comes from the research of John and Julie Gottman. They take a multifaceted approach to helping couples build stronger connections and health from past conflict. Through their intensive research lab and years of experience working with couples, they have developed interventions that target building trust, healthy communication, conflict resolution, fondness for each other, and creating a shared meaning for your life together. I pull heavily from Gottman couples counseling in my work with couples and also my work with individuals.
As we explore various therapeutic theories, I’d like to take a moment to highlight an important consideration. While the reasons for seeking therapy are vast and unique, I believe it’s valuable to emphasize the importance of finding a therapist with expertise in specific areas.
If you’re exploring therapy for any of the topics listed below, I highly recommend seeking out a therapist who specialized in that particular area. Talking with someone who has received specific training in your area of need can make a significant difference in your therapeutic experience and progress.
Grief: If you’re going through a significant loss, it’s worth seeing some who specializes in grief. Most therapists have a background in grief support, but if you are experiencing the loss of a spouse/partner, sibling, child, or parent, it’s worth confirming that your therapist has specific knowledge in grief counseling.
Trauma: Trauma is defined as, “A deeply distressing or disturbing experience”. If you have experienced physical, verbal, sexual, or emotional abuse, and you’re wanting to explore the impact of those experiences, you will need a therapist who specializes in trauma. Some trauma specific therapies include EMDR, Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), amongst others. With that said, abuse and neglect are not the only ways we experience trauma. Trauma can be divorce, being teased in childhood, a significant relationship ending, medical procedures, etc. If you register the event as traumatic, you will also benefit from a therapist specializing in trauma.
Addiction: If you are looking for help with an addiction, make sure your therapist has a background in treating addiction. In Colorado, therapists can receive a specific license in treating addition called a “LAC” (Licensed Addition Counselor). A therapist may not have a specific license in addition, but instead attended training and received certificates in addiction specific therapy. If you have a history of struggling with addiction, I highly recommend you seek someone with this specific licensure or training. While mental health and addiction overlap, there are modes of treatment that are especially helpful for people struggling with addiction, so please make sure to select someone with experience.
Couples Counseling/Family Counseling: In the realm of couples counseling, much like in addiction therapy, therapists can attain specialized certifications or licensure to navigate the dynamics of relationships. For instance, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) receive more specific education on working with families and couples. Therapists may pursue additional certifications or participate in targeted trainings tailored to enhance their skills in guiding couples and families toward positive outcomes.
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